Friday, 14 October 2011

I am deeply touched by the number of good wishes I have received following my last post. I knew I had a good few blogger friends but hadn't realised quite how many of you there were! Thank you all so much. I managed to read all your comments by leaning close in to the screen and closing the left eye!!

Just to update you on the situation - I spent nearly an hour at the optometrist's on Tuesday afternoon undergoing a barrage of different tests and it seemed likely that the problem was a cataract and an appointment was made for me to see the consultant at the hospital. That was 5.00 pm Tuesday evening and on Wednesday mid-day I received a phone call to offer me an appointment for 9.00 am this morning (who says the NHS is rubbish and the waits interminable?!) Today I had further tests and the opthalmologist says that although there are cataracts (yes in the plural!) they are not causing the problem and she could find nothing to account for it so now I am awaiting a further appointment for a retinal scan to be done at Dorchester hospital. We must wait and see what that shows. In the meantime I can still drive as I can see but just not the fine detail - phew!

I am fine and we went for a lovely walk on the Quantocks yesterday with our neighbours - the views were amazing (would have been even better if I had been able to see clearly!). I am still finding using the computer hard work - typing is fine as I don't need to look for that though the proof reading might be another story. I will look forward to catching up with you all again soon.

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Am going to be taking a break from blogging as I have a problem with my sight. I noticed very recently that my sight was blurred in my left eye and in spite of an eye test last week and new glasses I still cannot see clearly - it's very frustrating and makes me feel in some way disconnected as things are not as they should be!

A visit to the doctor this morning has resulted in an appointment being made to see the eye specialist (probably in a couple of weeks' time) and a further eye test this afternoon as the doctor doesn't have the necessary equipment to check out what is happening himself. Mention was made of cataract though he couldn't actually see anything like that.

Since I cannot see properly - good job I am a touch typist eh? - it seems best to give it up for the moment. It's all so frustrating as I was in the pink just a couple of weeks ago and now I am unable to read, to see the television clearly and the computer is blurred too! The good news is that I am NOT diabetic - this was seemingly a possible cause but apparently all is well in that department!

These photos were taken a couple of weeks ago for a post which never got written so I will use them now. Hope to be back with you all soon.

Monday, 3 October 2011

Last week realising that our diaries were unusually free of commitments we decided to take an on the spur of the moment holiday. So where did we go?

The Mediterranean?

The Amalfi Coast?

If I tell you we needed no passports or visas, no dilema over what to pack, that there were no foreign currency requirements and that we spent no time at the airport waiting in a queue, that our self catering accommodation was a real home from home perhaps you will guess that we didn't actually leave home at all!

We did however shop in colourful local markets

Eat delicious lunches!

Visit delightful gardens

Enjoy several great walks...

And perhaps the highlight of our week was a ride on the bus! Not just any old bus you understand but the X53 which runs along the Jurassic Coast and through some of the most stunning scenery along what is a World Heritage site and linking Exeter with Poole. We had been meaning to travel some of this route for ages and somehow never got round to it so on Thursday we set off for West Bay through the countryside on a lovely summer morning (Yes I know it was Autumn but here it was summer!)

Having parked the car we had a wander round West Bay whilst we waited for the bus - our bus passes at the ready! (There are many advantages to being elderly and the free bus pass is one of them!)

We had decided to travel to Beer - a little town on the South Devon coast - and from there to walk to Branscombe on a circular route which would bring us back to Beer in time for the return journey.

Rather like Wells the street in Beer has a stream running along either side but in Beer's case it is lined with pretty flowers although you do need to look where you are going! After a cup of coffee we set off up the hill on our walk to Branscombe Mouth. The distance in miles is not far but it was an up hill and down dale sort of walk which made it seem further.

After clambering down a steep flight of steps through the woodland we finally arrived at our destination where we had lunch - a sandwich and a drink at the cafe on the beach.

Then of course we had to climb again on our homeward route this time inland. I don't have many photos of the return walk probably because I was concentrating on actually making it to the top as I found it really hard going!

We did of course make it back to Beer and this was the final straight! We had a welcome cup of tea in a pretty cafe and rested our feet before having a wander down to the beach - we had made good time and had an hour or so to wait for the bus which runs every two hours.

Although it felt like a summer's day the days are getting shorter and the sun was going down by now and we wandered back up the street to the bus stop which had a welcome bench on which we could sit.

The journey back to West Bay was good and the scenery in the evening light was lovely.

This is Seaton. We got home just after dark (about 7.30 now) after a fabulous day out and feeling very happy after our walk and all that fresh air.

Sherborne for shopping at the market - see photo at beginning as well. The flower displays everywhere are still very summery.

Yesterday we did our longest walk yet but I will save those pictures for another time. As you will see we had a wonderful holiday at next to no cost (I think the most expensive thing was the entry fees to Kilver Court and they were reduced for Seniors!) Cost to the environment = negligible. Enjoyment factor = enormous!

Today at yoga the watchword was Santosha which means contentment and as I lay there at the end of the class relaxing with a soft warm breeze coming in through the open French doors I was, I really was content - content to be living in such a fabulous part of the world, content to have stored up some wonderful memories of a lovely week, content to be me and at that particular moment I wouldn't have wished to be anywhere else! Just as well as this evening whilst I wasn't looking the grey clouds rolled in and it was dark before 7.00 - the weather man tells us we will not see such high temperatures now till next April or May so I will be glad to have my memories to feed off during the colder months.